Well completion apparatus



WELL COMPLETION APPARATUS Filed. Aug. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Luv-q);

A //e/7 F. Rhodes INVENTOR.

BY W

ATTORNEY A. F. RHODES WELL COMPLETION APPARATUS April 10, 1962 Filed Aug. 4, 1955 2 Sheets$heet 2 A//e/7 f, Rhodes INVENTOR. LJJ

BY 7 0/ M2 /00 W 24 A TTO/F/Vf y 3,028,917 WELL COMPLETEON APPARATUS Allen F. Rhodes, Houston, Tern, assignor, by inesne assignments, to Mcllvoy Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Aug. 4, 1955, Ser. No. 526,467 4 Claims. (Cl. 166-75) This invention pertains to Well completion equipment and more particularly to such equipment at the earths surface including well heads, pipe suspensions and valves, which equipment is adapted for use in parallel tubing string dual completion oil or gas wells.

In some dual completion wells it is not necessary that both flow lines be protected by high pressure well heads all the way to the master valve. For example, one sand may be flowing under its own pressure at several thousand pounds per square inch while another requires pumping. It is an object of the invention to provide well completion equipment particularly suited for parallel flow line dual completion of such a well in that it will fulfill all the requirement of providing protection against surface failure in the high pressure flow line, provide adequate means for running both tubing strings parallel throughthe casing independently of each other, and at the same time he inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a parallel string dual well completion device for controlling one ilow line and bypassing another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a parallel flow line dual well completion device for controlling and diverting one how line and bypassing another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a parallel flow line dual well completion device for controlling one flow line and bypassing and suspending another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a parallel flow line dual completion well completion device for controlling one flow line and bypassing and sealing another.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus according to invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 drawn to a larger scale; and

FIGURE 3 shows an eccentric spool for mounting blowout preventer used in completing a well according to the invention.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is shown a tubing head It} of conventional design with two strings of tubing 11, 12, extending therethrough. Preferably the tubing is of the flush joint type so that the sum of the external diameter of the tubing may equal the internal diameter of the casing (not shown) which will be disposed therearound and suspended in the usual casing head (not shown) on which the tubing head 1!} is supported. The tubing head is provided with outlets 13, 14 through which communication may be established with the space 15 inside the casing outside the tubing strings. This function of the tubing head is mentioned since according to the preferred embodiment of the invention the tubing suspensions means is not disposed in the tubing head but in the device thereabove carried by the upper flange 16 of the tubing head.

Mounted on the upper tubing head flange is a well completion device 2".) having a flange 21 fastened to flange 16 by bolts 22 and sealed by steel ring gasket 23.

Device 26} has two parallel passages 24, 25 therethrough. Passage 24 is threaded at its lower end at 26 to receive the threaded upper upset end 27 of tubing 11 which is thereby suspended in the well and sealed to device 20. The upper end of bore 24 is also threaded at 2-8 to receive the threaded end 29 of a pipe nipple St The top of nipple St is closed by a cap 31 screwed to the upper end of the nipple and sealed by O-ring 32. Cap 31 is provided with a threaded hole 33 to which pressure gage 34 is connected.

Near the middle of device 26 the passage 24 expands into a chamber 40 to receive gates 41 and seats 42 forming parts of a valve for controlling flow through passage 24. The elements of this valve are preferably of the type shown in US. Patent 2,433,638 to Alexander S. Volpin, dated December 30, 1947, entitled Automatic Lubricated Valve, same being an automatic plastic sealed valve.

Above valve chamber 40, passage 24 returns to its previous tubular form until it is joined by transverse or side passage 50 by which means flow may be diverted from main passage 24. The mouth of passage 50 is thickened to provide room for annular groove 51 to receive a steel ring gasket 52. and to support studs 53 whereby a flanged pipe coupling 54 for a line pipe (not shown) may be secured thereto. v

Referring now to FIGURE 2, passage 25 provides a high pressure housing for tubing 12 and support for suspension means for tubing 12 formed at the upper end of device 2%. This suspension means as shown comprises a conical suspension bowl or tapered seat joining the lower part of passage 25 with an enlarged upper portion 61 thereof. A hanger nipple 62 is internally threaded at its lower end at 63 and screwed onto the upper upset end of tubing 12 which is threaded at 64. The hanger nipple has a comically tapered external shoulder 65 which rests on seat 60 to support the string of tubing 12;

Hanger nipple 62 has an annular groove 66 around cylindrical portion 67 thereof, receiving an O ring 68 of oil resistant elastomeric material such as synthetic rub.- ber. This provides means for sealing quickly between the enlarged portion :51 of passage 25 and hunger nipple 62 and thus for closing and sealing oil the annulus between tubing 12 and passage 25.

In order to positively hold down tubing string 12 and to form a more permanent seal between hanger nipple 62 and passage 25, the hanger is reduced in diameter at 79 forming an upwardly facing shoulder 71 and the passage 25 is -further enlarged at 72 with a tapered shoulder 73 between portions 61 and 72, thereby providing space for a plurality of annular packing rings 73, 7-5, 75. A further enlarged portion 76 of passage 25 is interiorly threaded at 77 to receive a threaded gland ring 78 bearing on packing compression ring 79. The nipple 62 is relieved at 80 to provide room for rings 78 and 79.

In lieu of the suspension means for tubing 12 that has just been described the tubing could be suspended by slips or hung on a coupling and tubing weight compressed packing could be used instead of the manually compressed packing means described.

The upper end of nipple 62 is interiorly threaded at S5 to receive the threaded exteriorly upset end 86 of pipe 87 (see FlGURE l) which connects to one end of master valve 88 which may be of any desired construction. To the other end of valve 88 is connected a T 89, the side outlet of which leads to a line pipe (not shown). To the upper end of the T 89 is connected a cap t) similar to cap 31, to which can be attached an adapter to run any desired service tool through the tubing. Any suitable pumping equipment can be used for producing through tubing 12.

The upper end of device 20 is threaded externally at 1% to receive a flange 101, as shown in FIGURE 3, Ilange 163 being internally threaded at 102. Flange 101 is used during completion of the well to make connection to an adapter spool 103 having a lower flange 104 adapted to be fastened to flange 1G1 by bolts 195 and sealed thereto by steel ring gasket 1%. Spool 103 has an eccentric bore 167 which is aligned with passage 25. The top of spool 103 has a flange 108 which supports a tubing blowout preventer 109 secured thereto by bolts 11b and sealed by steel ring gasket 111.

When a well is to be completed, the first string of tubing 11 is run through the regular drilling blowout preventer which will be mounted on tubing head in the usual manner. When the tubing has been run in the drilling blowout preventer is removed and device is screwed onto the upper end of string 11 and flanged to the top of the tubing head. Adapter spool 103 and tubing blowout preventer 169 are then mounted on top of device 20 and tubing string 12 run in therethrough. The well is under complete control while the second string is being run in since gates 41 can close off flow from tubing 11 and preventer 109 controls the annulus around tubing 12 being run in. When tubing 12 is all run in, the preventer 109 is removed and tubing 12 is hung in bowl 60 in device 20 and packed off. Flange 101 is removed along with spool 103 and preventer 109 and used on the next completion job.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a very efficient economical means for dual parallel string completion of a well, particularly suited for a well having one high pressure sand and one low pressure sand.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, many modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is desired to protect by Letter Patent all forms of the invention falling within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Well completion apparatus comprising a member having a vertical opening therethrough, and an upper flange therearound, a pair of tubings disposed upwardly through said vertical opening through said member, a device having a pair of vertical passages therethrough, said device having a lower flange, means connecting said flanges together in fluid tight relationship, means forming the lower end of one of said passages making fluid tight connection to one of said tubings, means in said one passage above the last said means for controlling flow through said one passage, :1 side outlet passage from said one passage above said flow controlling means for receiving flow from said one passage, removable means at the upper end of said one passage for closing said one passage when desired, means within the upper end of the other one of said passages for suspending the other of said tubings extending upwardly therethrough, means in the said other passage for sealing between said other passage and said other tubing, and valve connected to said other tubing above said device.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said one tubing is t'nreadedly connected to and supported by the lower end of said one passage whereby said one tubing is sealed to said one passage and suspended from said device.

3. Well completion apparatus, comprising a device having a pair of vertical passages therethrough, a well member below said device having a vertical opening therethrough within which a pair of parallel tubings are disposed and having an upper connection flange, a flange at the lower end of said device connected to said upper connection flange of said well member, threaded connection means within the lower end of said one passage connecting the lower end of one of said passages to the upper end of one of said tubings, valve means in said device to control fluid flow through said one passage, the other of said passages housing the other of said tubings and having at its upper end an upwardly facing seat, and a hanger connected to said other tubing seated on said seat.

4. The combination of claim 3 including a side passage for receiving flow from said one passage above said valve means.

Yancey Mar. 24, 1942 Penick et al Nov. 30, 1943 

